Ramon Santiago, a fourteen-year-old street kid and poet, records his thoughts in a notebook. He is skilled with words and skilled with his knife, when needed. Alone, he wants to join a street gang to be macho, but to prove himself, he must rob an elderly artist down on his luck, Arnold Glasser. Glasser, as desperate as Ramon, is unafraid of Ramon's knife. From their mutual pain, an unorthodox friendship grows between them. But the gang is just a step behind Ramon, demanding loyalty above all else. "Grit, suspense, warmth, and wry humor."- Kirkus Reviews Best Book for Young Adults - American Library AssociationTranslated into Danish, Spanish and German. Myron Levoy's young adult novels have received many honors including ALA Best books, U. S. National Book Award Finalist, and the national awards of Holland, Austria, and Germany for Alan and Naomi , which was made into a motion picture. His work frequently depicts outsiders-often with humor-searching for identity and connection, with growing insight into their own true selves. Used Book in Good Condition